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GMA Network
09-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Palace on SWS poll: Pinoys' sentiment on VP Sara impeachment respected
Malacañang on Wednesday said it respects the sentiment of Filipinos on the filing of the fourth impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, as shown in a recent survey which found that more of them disagreed with the move. Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro conveyed the administration's view on one of the key findings of Social Weather Stations (SWS) for the second quarter of 2025, even as it distanced President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. anew from the impeachment trial proceedings. "Kung anuman po ang sentimiyento ng taumbayan, igagalang naman po natin iyan. At muli, ayaw po ng Pangulo na maipahid sa atin, sa administrasyon iyong impeachment trial dahil ito po ay nasa kamay na po ng mga senador. So, kung ano po ang kanilang move 'no sa impeachment trial, nasa kamay na po nila iyan," Castro said in a briefing. (Whatever the sentiment of the public, we will respect it. Again, the President does not want the impeachment trial to be connected with the administration because it's already in the hands of the senators. So, whatever their move is, it's in their hands.) The SWS survey, conducted from June 25 to 29 this year, found that 42% of the 1,200 adult Filipino respondents disagreed with the filing of the fourth impeachment complaint. Meanwhile, 32% agreed, 18% were undecided, and 7% said they did not know enough about the issue. In total, the net agreement score for the Philippines was -10. Opposition was strongest in Mindanao with a net agreement score of -52, followed by the Visayas at -18. Metro Manila garnered the highest net agreement score of +12, followed by Balance Luzon (areas in Luzon outside of National Capital Region) with +7. The non-commissioned survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has stated that he is against Duterte's impeachment, but the Vice President and her allies have blamed him for being behind alleged plans to remove her from office. Senate impeachment court spokesperson Regie Tongol earlier said the Senate is not holding off Duterte's impeachment. The SWS survey included a statement card indicating a timeline of events from the filing of the fourth impeachment complaint last December up to its transmittal to the Senate in February. The statement card likewise indicated allegations against Duterte as provided in the complaint, including issues surrounding the use of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, and supposed involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao City. The complaint also includes her "assassination" remarks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez. Duterte has since denied the allegations thrown against her. — VDV, GMA Integrated News


The Star
29-06-2025
- Climate
- The Star
20% of Filipinos experienced hunger in April 2025: report
MANILA: The number of Filipinos who experienced involuntary hunger—or being hungry and having nothing to eat, at least once in the past three months—rose to 20 percent by the end of April, according to a recent report released by the Social Weather Stations (SWS). SWS said it conducted the national survey from April 23 to 28. It released the report on Saturday (June 28). Broken down, 16.4 percent of the 20 percent of respondents experienced moderate hunger, while 3.6 percent suffered from severe hunger. 'Moderate Hunger refers to those who experienced hunger 'only once' or 'a few times' in the last three months, while Severe Hunger refers to those who experienced it 'often' or 'always' in the previous three months,' the SWS explained. The number of families who experienced hunger was highest in Mindanao, with 26.3 percent, followed by Metro Manila at 20.3 percent, Visayas at 19.7 percent, and Balance Luzon—or areas outside Metro Manila—at 17 percent. The recent result of this survey is 0.9 percent higher compared to the findings of a similar SWS survey conducted earlier, from April 11 to 15 this year, which was 19.1 percent. Both surveys follow an 8.1-point decline from 27.2 percent in March 2025, it added. 'The 0.9-point increase in hunger between April 11 to 15, 2,025, and April 23 to 28, 2025, was due to declines in Metro Manila and Balance Luzon, combined with increases in Mindanao and the Visayas,' the SWS disclosed. 'Compared to April 11 to 15, 2025, the incidence of hunger fell by 5.7 points from 26.0 percent in Metro Manila, and by 3.5 points from 20.5 percent in Balance Luzon. However, it rose by 9.0 points from 17.3 percent in Mindanao, and by 5.4 points from 14.3 percent in the Visayas,' it added. In connection with the country's hunger rate, the April 23 to 28 survey also found that 50 percent of Filipinos rated themselves as poor. On the other hand, 8 percent believed they belonged to the 'Borderline' or the line dividing poor and not poor, while 42 percent said they were not poor. The late April 2025 national survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adult participants (18 years and above. Of this figure, SWS said 600 are in Balance Luzon, and 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao. 'The sampling error margins are ±3% for national percentages, ±4% in Balance Luzon, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao,' it added. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN


GMA Network
28-06-2025
- Climate
- GMA Network
SWS: Hunger among PH families up slightly to 20% in end-April 2025
Filipino families who experienced involuntary hunger rose slightly to 20% towards the end of April 2025, according to results of the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released Saturday. The latest figure was seen by SWS in its first quarter 2025 Social Weather Survey conducted from April 23 to 28, 2025. The polling firm defines involuntary hunger as "being hungry and not having anything to eat – at least once in the past three months." The latest hunger rate was slightly higher than the 19.1% seen in the previous April 11 to 15, 2025 survey, following an 8.1-point decline from 27.2% in March 2025. The first quarter 2025 Social Weather Survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults, 18-year-olds and above, nationwide: 600 in Balance Luzon (or areas in Luzon outside Metro Manila), and 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao. The sampling error margins are ±3% for national percentages, ±4% in Balance Luzon, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. The area estimates were weighted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) medium-population projections for 2025 to obtain the national estimates, according to SWS. Survey questions The exact phrasing of the survey questions in Filipino were as follows: On hunger: "Nitong nakaraang tatlong buwan, nangyari po ba kahit minsan na ang inyong pamilya ay nakaranas ng gutom at wala kayong makain?" (OO, HINDI) (In the last three months, did it happen even once that your family experienced hunger and did not have anything to eat? (YES, NO)) If experienced hunger: "Nangyari po ba 'yan ng MINSAN LAMANG, MGA ILANG BESES, MADALAS, o PALAGI? (Did it happen ONLY ONCE, A FEW TIMES, OFTEN, or ALWAYS?)" Moderate, severe hunger SWS explained that the 20% hunger rate during the latest survey period is the sum of 16.4% who experienced "moderate hunger" and 3.6% who experienced "severe hunger." Moderate hunger refers to those who experienced hunger "only once" or "a few times" in the last three months. On the other hand, severe hunger refers to those who experienced it "often" or "always" in the previous three months. SWS also found that hunger was highest in Mindanao at 26.3% of families, followed by Metro Manila at 20.3%, the Visayas at 19.7%, and Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila) at 17% Compared to the April 11 to 15, 2025 survey, the incidence of hunger fell by 5.7 points from 26% in Metro Manila, and by 3.5 points from 20.5% in Balance Luzon. However, it rose by 9.0 points from 17.3% in Mindanao, and by 5.4 points from 14.3% in the Visayas. — VDV, GMA Integrated News


GMA Network
07-06-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
SWS: 50% of Filipino families rate themselves poor
Half of Filipino families rated themselves poor in a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey held from April 23 to 28, 2025. According to the SWS, the score was 5 points lower than the earlier survey conducted from April 11 to 15, 2025. SWS attributed the drop to declines in Metro Manila and Mindanao, as well as steady scores in Mindanao and Balance Luzon. Self-rated poverty was highest in the Visayas at 67% and lowest in Metro Manila at 33%. Meanwhile, 8% of Filipino families reported themselves as borderline between poor and not poor, while 42% said that they were not poor. The results for borderline hit a record low, surpassing the 11% score in December 2024, while the percentage of not poor families increased by 10 points from 32% in April 11-15, 2025, to a new record high of 42% in April 23-28, 2025. This eclipsed the previous record of 36% in March 2025. Of the estimated 14.1 million self-rated poor families in the survey taken from April 23-28, 2.2 million were newly poor, 2.3 million were usually poor, and 9.5 million were always poor. The nationwide median self-rated poverty threshold (SRP threshold) remained at P10,000 from December 2024 to April 2025, while the nationwide median self-rated poverty gap (SRP gap) stayed at P5,000 from September 2024 to April 2025. The median monthly family expenses nationwide based on the April 23-28 survey were as follows: - House Rent: P3,000 - Transportation: P2,000 - Internet: P800 - Mobile Load: P400 Data from the study was gathered through face-to-face interviews with 1,500 Filipino adults nationwide. SWS said the sampling error margins were ±3% for national percentages, ±4% in Balance Luzon, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. —VBL, GMA Integrated News


The Star
01-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte agrees with poll: She should be tried
MANILA: Vice President Sara Duterte (pic) said she agreed with an overwhelming majority of Filipinos that she should be tried by an impeachment court for corruption and other high crimes, but she has not withdrawn her petition in the Supreme Court questioning her impeachment. 'Oh, I totally agree,' she said of the results of a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll that she should be tried by the Senate after she was impeached by the House of Representatives on Feb. 5. 'I'm among those 88 per cent who say that,' she told reporters and supporters on Friday (May 30) outside the International Criminal Court detention center in The Hague, the Netherlands, where her father, ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, is being held. Her office provided the media in the Philippines with a copy of the video interview with her. 'I'm thankful for the opportunity to clear my name and answer the accusations against me,' Duterte said. The impeachment complaint accuses her of culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust for, among others, her alleged misuse of more than P612 million (US$110 million) in confidential funds and for her alleged threat to assassinate President Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez. She spoke in The Hague on May 30, on the eve of her 47th birthday, which she planned to celebrate with her father and their supporters. The former president is accused of murder as a crime against humanity for the thousands killed in his brutal antinarcotics campaign that he implemented as mayor of Davao City and later as president. The May 2025 SWS survey on 'people's post-election expectations' released on Thursday, showed that 68 percent of the 1,800 respondents nationwide said that the Vice President 'definitely should address the impeachment charges, answer all allegations pertaining to corruption and clear her name.' It showed that 20 per cent said that she 'probably should' do the same. Only four per cent said that Duterte 'probably should not' and three per cent said she 'definitely should not,' results of the survey showed. Four per cent were unsure what to say. The poll also saw a consensus that Duterte should focus more on her work as Vice President and minimise any politically driven activities. Asked to comment on the deferment of the start of the impeachment trial to June 11 instead of June 2, when the Congress resumes session, Duterte said she saw no impact of the delay on her case, but would leave it to her lawyers to study the developments further. Also in the Netherlands was Sen. Imee Marcos, the eldest sister of President Marcos. Duterte had a bitter falling out with Marcos, unraveling their formidable UniTeam that swept the 2022 national elections. Marcos said on his inaugural BBM Podcast that he was willing to reconcile with the Dutertes because he needed more friends than enemies. 'I probably won't talk about reconciliation because people's personal problems aren't important. What's more important is our people and our country,' Duterte said in response to his remarks. She said the President's sister, whose reelection she supported in the recent midterm polls, was in The Hague to speak with her father's lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman. 'Whatever it is they talked about, I have nothing to do with it anymore,' she said. The Vice President and her mother, Elizabeth Zimmerman Duterte, were able to see her father for a 'prebirthday' celebration. A 'send Duterte home' rally is scheduled to take place outside the detention center on her birthday on Saturday. She earlier said she was eager to see the trial through because she wanted a 'bloodbath.' She did not elaborate on what she meant. While Duterte committed to face the charges against her in the impeachment court, she did not say anything about the petition she filed on Feb. 18 in the Supreme Court questioning the constitutionality of the impeachment process. Duterte accused the House of Representatives and its secretary general, Reginald Velasco, of withholding the first three complaints against her allegedly to circumvent the one-year ban on the filing of more than one complaint against an impeachable official. She said that the House only acted on the fourth complaint, which was signed by 215 of around 300 members of the chamber. The fourth petition, however, contained essentially the same charges against her in the three others. 'This political stratagem was done at the expense of constitutional standards … with the ultimate goal of having the petitioner perpetually disqualified from running for any national elective office,' she said in her petition. Duterte is a probable contender in the May 2028 presidential election. Another petition was filed just hours after her own petition by several of her supporters. They asked the Supreme Court to stop the Senate from convening into an impeachment court. Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. said then that Duterte and the other petitioners were 'running scared … perhaps the allegations of corruption are true.' Deputy Speaker David Suarez of Quezon said Duterte's move 'reeks of panic and a blatant effort to undermine the impeachment process even before it formally begins.' ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro criticised Duterte for flying to the Netherlands to celebrate 'with more lies and political theatrics' instead of reflecting on her actions ahead of her impeachment trial. 'The Filipino people deserve transparency, not squid tactics,' Castro said. 'On her birthday, we challenge VP Duterte to choose truth over deception, accountability over evasion. The impeachment process is constitutional and legitimate—she should respect it instead of undermining it with her desperate antics,' the lawmaker said. Other ACT leaders slammed the fresh delay in the start of the impeachment trial, which they called a 'calculated scheme' to quash the proceedings altogether. ACT Representative-elect Antonio Tinio said the delay signals an attempt to 'kill the impeachment trial through procedural maneuvering rather than addressing the serious charges on their merits.' He said that the 'delaying tactics make a mockery of our democratic institutions and constitutional processes.' 'If impeachment proceedings can be killed through procedural technicalities and political alignments, then no high official will ever be held accountable for corruption and abuse of power,' Tinio said. He was particularly concerned about how the delay strategy 'was seemingly being orchestrated across party lines,' noting that Marcos himself again publicly expressed his opposition to the trial. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN